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ce Louis XV。once more； was choked with happy promenaders。
Many wore the silver fleur…de…lys suspended from the white…watered ribbon； which had not yet wholly disappeared from button…holes in the year 1817。Here and there choruses of little girls threw to the winds； amid the passersby； who formed into circles and applauded； the then celebrated Bourbon air； which was destined to strike the Hundred Days with lightning； and which had for its refrain： 〃Rendez…nous notre pere de Gand； Rendez…nous notre pere。〃 〃Give us back our father from Ghent； Give us back our father。〃
Groups of dwellers in the suburbs； in Sunday array； sometimes even decorated with the fleur…de…lys； like the bourgeois； scattered over the large square and the Marigny square； were playing at rings and revolving on the wooden horses； others were engaged in drinking； some journeyman printers had on paper caps； their laughter was audible。Every thing was radiant。
It was a time of undisputed peace and profound royalist security； it was the epoch when a special and private report of Chief of Police Angeles to the King； on the subject of the suburbs of Paris； terminated with these lines：
〃Taking all things into consideration； Sire； there is nothing to be feared from these people。
They are as heedless and as indolent as cats。The populace is restless in the provinces； it is not in Paris。These are very pretty men； Sire。
It would take all of two of them to make one of your grenadiers。
There is nothing to be feared on the part of the populace of Paris the capital。
It is remarkable that the stature of this population should have diminished in the last fifty years； and the populace of the suburbs is still more puny than at the time of the Revolution。
It is not dangerous。In short； it is an amiable rabble。〃
Prefects of the police do not deem it possible that a cat can transform itself into a lion； that does happen； however； and in that lies the miracle wrought by the populace of Paris。
Moreover； the cat so despised by Count Angles possessed the esteem of the republics of old。In their eyes it was liberty incarnate； and as though to serve as pendant to the Minerva Aptera of the Piraeus； there stood on the public square in Corinth the colossal bronze figure of a cat。The ingenuous police of the Restoration beheld the populace of Paris in too 〃rose…colored〃 a light； it is not so much of 〃an amiable rabble〃 as it is thought。
The Parisian is to the Frenchman what the Athenian was to the Greek：
no one sleeps more soundly than he； no one is more frankly frivolous and lazy than he； no one can better assume the air of forgetfulness； let him not be trusted nevertheless； he is ready for any sort of cool deed； but when there is glory at the end of it； he is worthy of admiration in every sort of fury。Give him a pike； he will produce the 10th of August； give him a gun； you will have Austerlitz。
He is Napoleon's stay and Danton's resource。Is it a question of country； he enlists； is it a question of liberty； he tears up the pavements。
Beware！ his hair filled with wrath； is epic； his blouse drapes itself like the folds of a chlamys。
Take care！ he will make of the first Rue Grenetat which es to hand Caudine Forks。When the hour strikes； this man of the faubourgs will grow in stature； this little man will arise； and his gaze will be terrible； and his breath will bee a tempest； and there will issue forth from that slender chest enough wind to disarrange the folds of the Alps。It is； thanks to the suburban man of Paris； that the Revolution； mixed with arms； conquers Europe。
He sings； it is his delight。Proportion his song to his nature； and you will see！
As long as he has for refrain nothing but la Carmagnole； he only overthrows Louis XVI。； make him sing the Marseillaise； and he will free the world。
This note jotted down on the margin of Angles' report； we will return to our four couples。
The dinner； as we have said； was drawing to its close。
BOOK THIRD。IN THE YEAR 1817
CHAPTER VI
A CHAPTER IN WHICH THEY ADORE EACH OTHER
Chat at table； the chat of love； it is as impossible to reproduce one as the other； the chat of love is a cloud； the chat at table is smoke。
Fameuil and Dahlia were humming。
Tholomyes was drinking。Zephine was laughing； Fantine smiling； Listolier blowing a wooden trumpet which he had purchased at Saint…Cloud。
Favourite gazed tenderly at Blachevelle and said：
〃Blachevelle； I adore you。〃
This called forth a question from Blachevelle：
〃What would you do； Favourite； if I were to cease to love you？〃
〃I！〃 cried Favourite。
〃Ah！
Do not say that even in jest！If you were to cease to love me； I would spring after you； I would scratch you； I should rend you； I would throw you into the water； I would have you arrested。〃
Blachevelle smiled with the voluptuous self…conceit of a man who is tickled in his self…love。 Favourite resumed：
〃Yes； I would scream to the police！
Ah！
I should not restrain myself； not at all！
Rabble！〃
Blachevelle threw himself back in his chair； in an ecstasy； and closed both eyes proudly。
Dahlia； as she ate； said in a low voice to Favourite； amid the uproar：
〃So you really idolize him deeply； that Blachevelle of yours？〃
〃I？
I detest him；〃 replied Favourite in the same tone； seizing her fork again。
〃He is avaricious。
I love the little fellow opposite me in my house。
He is very nice； that young man； do you know him？One can see that he is an actor by profession。
I love actors。As soon as he es in； his mother says to him：
‘Ah！ mon Dieu！ my peace of mind is gone。
There he goes with his shouting。
But； my dear； you are splitting my head！'
So he goes up to rat…ridden garrets； to black holes； as high as he can mount； and there he sets to singing； declaiming； how do I know what？ so that he can be heard down stairs！He earns twenty sous a day at an attorney's by penning quibbles。He is the son of a former precentor of Saint…Jacques…du…Haut…Pas。 Ah！ he is very nice。
He idolizes me so； that one day when he saw me making batter for some pancakes； he